the lady in the milk section at walmart looked almost frantic.  she may have touched my arm.  this was more than a year ago. 

she told me,

“there is a sex offender in town!  the police won’t release his name!  he drives a van!”

i could tell she was upset.  i listened quietly.  deeply, sympathetically.  but i did not tell her everything.

i did not tell her i had a guess about who the man was

he had been a family friend

his children had been like my own–i loved them so much

i also did not tell her that my adopted son is a sex offender

when i talk to him i try to sort out the tangle of his thoughts.  i know i would be shocked if i could see inside his head.  i have no answers for his disease.

No answers but Jesus.

Luke 4